Dredge pipe pontoons



Feb. 18, 1969 G. F. Mor'rER In DREDGE PIPE PONTOONS Sheet of 4 FiledAug. 25, 1966 Feb. 1s, 1969 G. F. M01-Tm m 3 428,011

DREDGE PIPE PONTOONS Filed Aug. 23, 1966 TOR.

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1 BY v 5 l @L d ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1969 Filed Aug. 25, 1966 G. F.M01-TER 3,428,011

DREDGE PIPE PONTOONS sheet 3 @f4 ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1969 G. F. MOTTER mDREDGE PIPE PONTOONS Filed Aug. 25, 196e Sheet A off;

\| I I l l I l I lll n m E q\ NMw. m m `v {INNIJ WW www 4H, \F\ a A YM@10. M, N 11111111 llmw: 1L. Q llll l.: w mi j w i xmwr 4 1 l l x x l I|...ff @141:1 ,V wk Mkvwf w 5K EN@ NN @v 1w alu wlw l @M E f Uw F1 .VwN2 NM wk* muv w. i l mn? Uv mur #Qca/ m ,r klv United States Patent O3,428,011 DREDGE PIPE PONTOONS George F. Motter III, R.D. 1, CenterValley, Pa. 18034 Filed Aug. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 574,343 U.S. Cl. 14-43.52 Claims Int. Cl. B631) 35/44, 35/38 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREDescription of invention' The present invention relates to dredge pipepontoons, water vehicles made by assembling the same, and methods oftransporting dredge pipe pontoons.

In accordance with lthe invention dredge pipe pontoons are provided witha hull having in eect internal longitudinal trusses with lateralextensions for supporting the bottom, sides, ends and deck, with asaddle supported on the deck for receiving the dredge pipe suitably atthe middle. At the forward and rear ends extending transversely arepositioned pipe (rod) anchorages for associating stacks of pontoonslaterally. One pontoon is made to stack on the deck of another, and inthe preferred form the deck of the one pontoon forms a socket for thebottom of the hull of another pontoon.

Vertically stacked pontoons are assembled and interlocked laterally andlongitudinally to form a barge and the barge is provided suitably with adraft rigging, a keel plate and motive power where required.

The saddle is desirably provided with a collapsible clamp for the dredgepipe so as not to impede stackage of the pontoons.

A purpose of the invention is to provide a superior dredge pipe pontoonwhich will be free from corrosion, lighter in weight, of long life,stable, and nontippable, and inexpensive in construction.

A further purpose is to improve the transportation of dredge pipepontoons by assembling them into a stable barge which can be towed orpropelled.

A further purpose is to increase the strength of a dredge pipe pontoonin respect to the support for the drive pipe saddle and the clamping ofthe same.

A further purpose is to make the deck of one pontoon provide a socketfor the base -of the next pontoon so that pontoons can be verticallystacked Iand will remain stably interlocked.

A further purpose is to provide pipe anchorages at the front and rear ofthe pontoons so that they can be cross connected in sets.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerousembodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a pontoon according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a central longintudinal section of the ICC pontoon of FIGURE1, with the drain pipe clamp broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a variant form of pontoon according tothe invention.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing stacking of twopontoons according to FIGURE 3, one on top of another.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the stacked pontoons ofFIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary detail of a modified saddle and clampaccording to the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of a barge made by assembling pontoonsaccording to the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the barge ofFIGURE 7, the section being taken on the line 8--8 of FIGURE 7.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

In coastal areas and along lake shores dredging is Very common and largenumbers of dredge pipe pontoons are commonly used. The current practiceis to make dredge pipe pontoons which are essentially steel tanks. Thesestructures are costly to make, very heavy and likely to deteriorate bycorrosion and otherwise. To tr-ansport them is commonly difficult, andthey must either be picked up by a ship, transported by railway car ortrailer or otherwise handled as separate components.

The present invention is concerned with producing dredge pipe pontoonsthat are of much lower cost, much more resistant against deterioratingforces such as corrosion, stronger, more seaworthy and safe againstcapsizing, and less likely to sink.

Another important aspect of the invention is that the support for thedredge pipe is effectively included as part of the pontoon so that it isiirmly ybottomed on the main trusses of the hull.

In accordance with the invention the pontoons are capable of beingformed into a barge for towing or selfpropelling so that they can betransported effectively in the water and as assembled become seaworthy.

Considering lirst the forms shown in .FIGURES l and 2, but alsoconsidering FIGURES 3 to 5, I there illustrate a pontoon 20 which has ahull 21 consisting of a substantially flat bottom 22, downwardlyconverging sides 23, bottom sloping corners 24, and forward and rearwardconverging ends 25. This makes, therefore, a workable and stable hullskin which can be made suitably of watertight plywood properly paintedor plastic coated as desired. At the upper portion the hull has at thefront, back and sides a straight collar 26.

Extending longitudinally from end-to-end on each side interiorly is atruss 27, suitably consisting of a bottom. beam 28, a top beam 30.vertical struts 31, front and back diagonal struts 32, and generallydiagonal cross braces 33.

At the bottom extending from one truss to another horizontally arebottom hull beams 34 which support the load of the bottom of the hull.Other parts of the hull are correspondingly supported directly by thetrusses. All of this structure can be of wood if desired..

The top beam 30 of the trusses supports a series of deck beams 35extending transversely and supporting thereon a deck 36 which issuitably surmounted by a plastic anti-slip coating 37 which protectsagainst leakage and guards the workman against sliding on the deck.

Extending from truss to truss at the center between deck portions 36 isa metallic saddle plate 38 resting on the upper beam 30 and whichsupports a metallic saddle 40 adapted to receive the dredge pipe andclamp it as later explained. The plate 38 can be anchored to the trussby U-bolts 41.

At front and back portions extending across the hull and sealed toprevent internal leakage are pipes 42 secured 3 to the hull and forreceiving of interconnecting pipes or rods as later explained. The pipes42 are held in the trusses by blocks 43 having suitable openings to passthe pipes, and the pipes are suitably anchored against longitudinalslippage as =by flanges not Shown.

It will be evident, therefore, that the hull constitutes a watertightcompartment and if any leakage is encountered its bilge can be pumpedthrough a suitable opening not shown. One pontoon can rest on the deckof another by simply removing the saddle 40 by loosening screws 44anchoring it to the saddle plate 38.

The form as shown in FIGURES 3 to 5 is a slight modiiication of the formof the pontoon as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2. In this modification thetrusses and the general hull construction are as previously explainedbut in the front and back of the pontoon there are upward deckextensions 45 which have a sloping rim 46 which is shaped to engage andform a socket for the front and sides of the hull of a pontoonsuperimposed on the lower pontoon, as best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Drain pipe saddles 40' in this case are provided at both sides of thepontoon anchored to a socket plate 38' secured to the deck against thetrusses, and each of the saddles has at each side a pivot bolt 46pivoting a clamping segment 47 or 48, the segments being drawn togetherto grip the dredge pipe 49 by a bolt 51 pivoted at 50 on the segment 47and extending through an opening in the segment 48 to be drawn up bynuts 52. In this moditication brackets 53 are provided at the forwardend and rearward ends on the sides of the hull and they engage andsupport outside the hull cross pipes 54 which receive theinterconnecting pipes or rods to be described.

At the front and back bumpers 56 suitably of polyethylene foam areprovided to protect against impact between one pontoon and another.

A modified form of drain pipe saddle and clamp is shown in FIGURE 6.This is mounted on a transverse angle 57 positioned on the deck andincludes saddle halves 58 pivoted to the angle at 60 and held in uprightposition by braces 61 and 62 connecting to the angle by bolts 63 andconnecting to the saddle halves by bolts 64.

At the outer ends the saddle halves pivotally connect at 64 to segments47 and 48 which are clamped as previously described. It will be evidentthat by removing the bolts 63 the saddle can collapse so that it willnot protrude high enough to interfere with stacking of the pontoons.

In FIGURES 7 and 8 I show an assemblage of pontoons into a barge. Thebottommost pontoon 66 receives on its deck a succession of pontoons 67,68 and 70, each of which suitably sockets in the deck of the pontoonbelow it as shown at 71 so that it is firmly anchored. Furthermore, eachof the pipes 54 has extending through it a smaller pipe or rod 72 whichinterconnects at each end to a link 73 connecting with a similar pipe orrod on the next lower and upper pontoon, the links being held in placeby suitable collars on the pipes or rods 72 at the outer ends (notshown).

Each vertical stack of pontoons is placed beside others so that there isa successive side-byside arrangement of stacks as shown at 74, 75, 76and 77 in FIGURE 7 and the lowermost pontoon in each of the lateralstacks is cross connected by an elongated pipe at the front and back asshown at 78, the elongated pipes thus securing together the stacks ofpontoons laterally and also connecting to a series of longitudinallypositioned stacks in front or back of the laterally placed units justdescribed by links 80, the outer end of the pipes being held to thelinks and held in place by collars not shown. In summary, therefore, itwill be seen in FIGURE 7 that the total barge 81 there assembledconsists of five longitudinally displaced sets, each of four lateralstacks, the stacks each consisting in the particuar case of fourIvertically stacked pontoons, or a total of 80 pontoons in all.

It will be evident that the barge can be towed by a tow line 82connected to draft rigging 8-3 suitably anchored to the barge as shownand drawn by a tug 84. The towing can be assisted by outboard motors 85mounted on suitable brackets 86 secured to pipes 78 between the rearmostpontoons, or the barge can be selfpropelled by these outboard motors.

In order to provide steering, the pipes running through the centerrearmost pontoons mount rudder brackets 87 on which a rudder 88 ispositioned below the water line 90 by a rudder shaft `91 manipulated bya rudder pulley 92 under the action of a rudder chain 93 from a suitablewheel mechanism not shown.

To aid in maneuverability a keel plate 94 extends down below the hullsof the pontoons to form a keel 95, the keel plate being suitablyanchored by extending the cross connecting pipes 78 therethrough. Thekeel plate is suitably interposed near the stern between pontoons at thebeam of the barge.

Thus it will be evident that in operation the pontoons can be assembledin stacks by a suitable crane and the stacks can be cross-connected andlongitudinally connected by piping and links and collars at the ends.Thus a barge is created and it can be towed to a new location. At thenew location the barge is disassembled by removing the cross connectingpipes and the links and then the pontoons can be removed from the decksof other pontoons and positioned in the desired locations to receive thedredge pipe 49.

Dredge pipe can then be mounted on the pontoons in the saddles and theclamps aixed. The load on the pontoons from the dredge pipes isdistributed by the deck to the trusses and redistributed around thehull. The pontoons can serve in the new location until they are readyfor relocation, in which case they can be again assembled into a bargeto be moved to the new place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dredge pipe pontoon comprising a hull having longitudinallyextended trusses, a deck supported on the trusses, a horizontal saddleplate anchored to the trusses, a saddle extending upwardly anchored tothe saddle plate, rst and second opposed clamping arms pivotallyconnected to the saddle, and screw means interconnecting the rst andsecond clamping arms and adapted to engage and tightly support a dredgepipe in the saddle and above the surface of the water.

2. A pontoon of claim 1, in combination with a hull engaging seat on thedeck for receiving and longitudinally socketing the bottom of the hullof the next pontoon so that pontoons can be stacked on top of oneanother without danger of dislodging.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,480,144 8/1949 Laycock 1140.52,712,293 7/ 1955 OHiggins 114-6'1 3,012,533 12/1961 Tellefsen 114-43.5X 3,045,263 7/ 1962 Blachly 114-61 X 3,060,463 10/1962 Pentzen 114-43.5X 3,220,026 11/ 1965 Lichti 9-1 3,221,696 12/11965 Gardner 114-43.53,286,286 1=1/ 1966 Nelson 9-1 3,361,274 1/1968 Goldman 114-72 X FOREIGNPATENTS 24,841 11/1896 Great Britain.

TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 9-1

